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Italian luxury carmaker Maserati is all set for the India launch of the Levante Trofeo super-SUV slated for the end of 2019. The first Levante built around a V8 engine, Maserati says the Trofeo will be the ultimate Maserati of SUVs, capable of doing 0-100 kmph in 3.9 seconds, with a top speed of excess of 300kmph. Since India is one of the important markets for the brand, it will be amongst the first right-hand drive markets to receive units of the Trofeo.
Maserati claims the Levante Trofeo is equipped with one of the most powerful engines ever created by the brand. The 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 under the hood, coupled with the Q4 Intelligent All-Wheel Drive System, delivers an astounding 582bhp at 6,250 rpm and 730Nm of torque at 2,250 – 5,000 rpm.
Like all Maserati petrol engines, this V8 is produced by Ferrari in Maranello. Visually, the Levante has undergone a redesign with the Trofeo, evident in the restyled lower front fascia and rear bumper, providing an overall sportier stance. The hood is new, featuring two aggressive air intakes for better cylinder head cooling.
Additionally, carbonfibre has been used extensively in the Levante Trofeo for elements such as the lower splitter, the side blades in the front air intakes, the side skirt inserts and the rear extractor, all of which go a long way in underlining this model’s racing look.
Inside the cabin of the Levante Trofeo, the sculpted sport seats feature a premium full grain ‘Pieno Fiore’ soft and natural-feeling leather available in black, red and tan, all with contrast stitching, with ‘Trofeo’ emblems stitched into the headrests.
Traditionally, the supercar has always been the last word for razor-sharp handling and untamed speed. However, in a country like India, where racetracks are scant, the super-SUV, basically a supercar on stilts, has a kind of first-mover advantage. Once here, the Maserati Trofeo V8 will go up against the likes of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, the Lamborghini Urus and the Bentley Bentayga V8, all of which are objects of desire for a growing band of enthusiasts who, despite having the money, face an eternal shortage of roads on which to rightfully explore such levels of performance.
